1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a device for controlling the operation of an electronic device using a user touch, and a vehicle control apparatus including the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of electronic devices and mechanical devices are mounted on an interior of a vehicle to provide user convenience and to control the vehicle. The user may operate desired functions by manipulating these devices, and an input unit that receives the instructions for desired operations is required to control the devices. Furthermore, to input the instructions, instructions corresponding to desired operations are input using keys or buttons. Recently, with the application of various new technologies, a Human Machine Interface (HMI) integrated controller is required in some vehicles. However, a Driver Information System (DIS) integrated rotary key which has also be implemented in vehicles, has a substantially complex structure and thus, has an increased manufacturing cost.
Further, when a user touches a menu displayed on a touch screen in a touch screen type User Interface (UI), the user must alternately look in a forward direction and at a display screen while driving a vehicle, thus, causing an increased risk of collision. In addition, when the vehicle is in motion, it may be difficult for the user to precisely manipulate the touch screen due to the vibration of the vehicle, and to precisely and promptly detect information displayed on the screen due to the screen being blocked by the driver's hand when the driver touches the touch screen.
In a developed technology, when a user inputs a specific shape into a touch screen, the process includes comparing information input by the user with previously input trajectory data, determining which shape has been input, and then executing an instruction corresponding to a desired operation.
However, data regarding the shapes and the corresponding operation must be stored and when a user incorrectly a shape or does not input the exact shape, erroneous recognition may be occur, and thus the shape must be drawn a predetermined size, for example for the processor to recognize the shape.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the better understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.